One of the greatest sweets I have ever had is located very close to Akihabara station. For around 200 yen, the amazing Pablo cheese tart is something to try! It should be noted that Akihabara just has a small shop. Shinjuku is the location of the main store.
Click "Read More" to learn about my cheese tart adventure.
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In December 2015, the first ramen shop in Japan was granted a Michelin star. Tsuta is a small shop in Sugamo that serves up some of the best ramen in the world. Being near Ikebukuro station, there is plenty to do in the area as well. From Saitama University, it takes about an hour in total to reach the destination.
I had the opportunity to try this glorious bowl of noodles, so I jumped out of bed to get a ticket. Click "Read More" to learn about my ramen excursion. All exchange students arrive at Saitama University at the peak of Tokyo's cherry blossom (さくら, "sakura") season. The campus is absolutely beautiful during all the orientations. I definitely felt privileged to see such a signature part of Japan upon arrival.
Hanami (花見, "flower viewing") is a Japanese tradition where people admire cherry blossoms and spring. While I did not have the chance to attend any festivals, I did go to Ueno Park to look at the awe-inspiring pieces of nature. Click "Read More" to see some more さくら! The cafeterias at Saitama University are very convenient, cheap, and the food tastes pretty good. It can be intimidating to eat at one for the first time, but there is really nothing to worry about. Just like one would expect, one grabs a tray and asks one of the cooks to give them what they want. Then, take the tray to the register and they will tell you how much it costs. They accept both yen and Suica (IC) card as payment. The free drink options are water and green tea. The cafeteria is open on weekdays from about 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Click "Read More" to learn more about eating on campus at Saitama University. The International House (I-House) at Saitama University is currently where all international students stay if they choose to live on campus. It is a fairly inexpensive and convenient place to stay, as well as stress-free for students who are beginning their study of Japanese.
Click "Read More" to take a look inside the building and one of the rooms. The check-in days at the university were April 3rd and 4th. I flew nonstop from Denver Int'l Airport to Narita Int'l Airport (UA 139).
Haneda Int'l Airport is actually closer to Tokyo than Narita, so there are better options for one to take. I opted for my flight because it was nonstop. Once arriving in Narita, I went to the station located on the bottom floor of the airport. For about 2500 yen, I got an IC card (allows you to travel via train by scanning) and enough to make it to the university. Click "Read More" to see a brief guide on getting from Narita Airport to Saitama University. One of the most helpful tools I use while travelling is Google Maps. Even though Tokyo does an acceptable job at posting English translations at train stations, I would not have the confidence to navigate if it wasn't for Google Maps.
Click "Read More" to see why I love using Google Maps in Japan. International data plans can be very expensive, so many people opt for a rental SIM card while in Japan. For me, always having an internet connection takes a lot of the stress away when I am travelling alone. Knowing that your family and emergency contacts are just a message away is a huge relief.
The cheapest and best option that I know of is to use CD Japan's service. I rented an unlimited data SIM card for a year and it was just around $200. That's right. Unlimited data. CD Japan will ship the rental to the Japan Post mail centers at Narita or Haneda Airport. Alternatively, they also ship to an address of your choice. For iPhone users, a hotspot is required to activate the SIM card. I believe the Keisei train line has a hotspot, so it can be activated while waiting for the train in the airport's station. Android users may not need to connect to the internet to activate it. This blog is not sponsored by CD Japan, but I truly recommend their product. I have used it whenever I go to Japan. It is reliable, unlimited, and reasonably priced. |
AuthorI am a student from the University of Nebraska at Kearney who studied abroad at Saitama University in Japan. I want to share my experience to inform future students about the program. Archives
March 2018
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